‘Park him’ – FIA asked to change rules and suspend Max Verstappen over his comments
Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya thinks the FIA should take action against Max Verstappen for his strong opinions on the 2026 rules.
We’re now four races into the 2026 Formula One season, and young Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli has emerged as the favorite after winning three races in a row in China, Japan, and Miami.
While there’s been a lot of excitement on the track, the biggest buzz hasn’t been the racing itself. Many drivers have been openly unhappy with the new rules introduced this season.
Max Verstappen, a four-time world champion and Red Bull driver, is one of the loudest critics. He even compared the current F1 to “Formula E on steroids” and suggested these changes could make him think about retiring.
Criticism of F1’s rules isn’t new, but Montoya feels Verstappen has crossed a line and should face a serious penalty that could lead to a race ban. The former Williams and McLaren driver believes Verstappen should get penalty points on his FIA super licence, bringing him closer to the 12-point limit that causes an automatic race suspension.
“You’ve got to respect the sport,” Montoya said on the BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast. “It’s fine if you don’t like the rules, but the way you speak about the sport you make your living from shouldn’t be without consequences.
“Give him seven or eight points on his licence. After that, he would be parked. I guarantee the way he talks would change.”
Right now, Verstappen has three penalty points on his super licence because of a clash with George Russell during last year’s Spanish Grand Prix. So, seven or eight more points wouldn’t be enough to suspend him just yet, but Montoya’s message is clear.
“I’m not saying you shouldn’t say you dislike the rules — everyone has a right to their opinion,” he added. “It’s okay to speak your mind, but don’t go as far as calling an F1 car a Mario Kart.”
Verstappen, currently seventh in the championship, has made it clear that his criticism isn’t about how Red Bull is doing this season.